Getafe v Barcelona Sunday 16/9/12

Barcelona is sitting on the top of La Liga after a gritty win over a Valencia side that were unlucky to go home without a point.

The Catalans can thank Brazilian defender Adriano for his brilliant strike from over 20-yards-out which proved to be enough for the win while also providing the 27-year-old with his first goal at the Nou Camp.

New signing Alex Song from Arsenal, made his first appearance for Barcelona playing alongside Xavi, and Fabregas in midfield.

After the match Coach Tito Vilanova had this to say about the Cameroonians performance: “Song did a great job. He’s only had a few days of training with us. He picks things up quickly. He’s an intelligent player,” “He’s talented on the ball, and he associates well with his team-mates on the pitch.

He passed his first test at Camp Nou with flying colours.” Barca no go into the La Liga rest week five points clear of rivals Real Madrid.

Barcelona’s next match will be against Getafe in Madrid on Saturday the 17th of September.

Already a giant killer once this season when they beat Real Madrid at home 2-1 the Azulones will fancy their chances of another upset against Messi and his men.

Last weekend Getafe played an unbeaten Deportivo away, and managed to share the point in a 1-1 draw that saw neither side dominate the other.

Getafe will be without Venezuelan striker Miku who snubbed a move to the Premiership to play for Swansea preferring to move north of the border to Parkhead where he is almost 100% assured of European football next season when asked why he choose Neil Lennon’s side the 27-year-old said: : ‘I hope to have a great year here. I like the fact Celtic are a big team who face the challenge of playing every weekend to win.

‘If you are with other teams you can sometimes lose but here there is the pressure and I like that. I like the attitude that says: If you don’t win, it’s a problem.

‘Swansea and Reading both wanted to sign me in the summer and Getafe wanted money for me before the season started but I said I fancied moving to a big team.

‘I was the best striker at Getafe. I played every game and felt if I was to go to another team and another country; it would have to be a really big one.

‘Swansea and Reading are both good teams but for me, it would be similar to Getafe.

‘Celtic is different. It has the support, the history, the Champions League. There is more here for me. I want to win three trophies and I think we have the team to do it.’

You can be sure that Getafe manager Luis García Plaza will have done his homework knowing that Getafe will have to defend well against the Blaugrana, but if they can absorb the pressure they may be able to score on the counter attack as they did against Real Madrid.